Louisa Gleichman (she/her/hers) is an art psychotherapist, treating adults across the lifespan. Louisa specializes in trauma, problematic substance use and addiction, relational issues, loss and grief, anxiety, depression, and major life changes. Louisa’s practice is strongly influenced by humanistic and psychodynamic principles, while incorporating techniques from a variety of theoretical frameworks, to meet each client’s individual needs. Examples include attachment-oriented, person-centered and trauma-informed approaches, sensorimotor psychotherapy, CBT, and motivational interviewing. 

Louisa grounds her work in empathy, authenticity, unconditional respect for every client, and multicultural consciousness. Louisa has experience and enjoys working with people who are transgender, non-binary, and BIPOC, and always considers how the intersection of one’s identity, society, and culture impacts their daily experiences. Louisa believes that therapy is a partnership that is rooted in trust, and cultivated within a safe, supportive, and non-judgmental environment. 

As an art therapist, Louisa is trained not only in traditional psychotherapy techniques, assessment, and diagnosis, but also in utilizing and guiding clients through the creative process in support of self-expression, self-exploration, personal growth, and overall wellbeing. By incorporating art-making into client care, with a focus on process, not technical skill, Louisa offers clients a way to transcend the limitations of language in their therapy work, should they choose to do so.  

In addition to providing clinical care, Louisa is part of a research team that investigates embodiment experiences of trans and non-binary individuals, including phantom body parts, the impact of these experiences on the individual, and their relationship to perception and consciousness. Research is conducted by a trans-led research team, and is IRB-approved. Louisa is an LGBTQIA2+ ally. 

Presentations: 

• Philadelphia Trans Wellness Conference, 2021 
• Moving Trans History Forward conference, 2021 
• Science of Consciousness Conference, 2022 
• LGBTQ Research Symposium, presented by The University of Kansas’ School of Social Welfare, 2022